FIRST RESPONDERS
RE-INTEGRATION
PROGRAM
TRANSITION BACK INTO EVERYDAY LIFE BY INSTILLING THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD.
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is a debilitating disorder that can be triggered if not treated through therapy. But after the therapy is complete, how does someone reintegrate back into their everyday life?
Many times, First Responders who are recovering from PTSD have relationships to rebuild, skills to develop and the need to know how they will move forward in their personal and work lives with confidence.
Through working with horses, people are able to develop life skills to help them to integrate their therapy treatment into living their true lives again. Through developing skills such as communication, focus, active listening, leadership and trust, those who have battled with PTSD can reclaim their lives and move into a new and healthy chapter. These courses can also be utilized to help repair relationships that were affected throughout their battle with PTSD and build the trust and respect necessary for relationships to work.
All of these skills are built through working with horses in a non-judgmental, safe and fun learning environment. There is NO riding the teachers in any of these programs. We must allow the horse to be able to speak through his body to help make these changes.
We work with organizations that are helping first responders to rebuild their lives by providing an 8-12 week life skills development series. This series is designed to provide direction, as well as help build the skills needed to re-integrate back into the workplace, as well as in their personal life, and who are looking for results! It is believed that a horse’s spirit will lead individuals in the ‘right direction’ and will assist them in understanding their place in the circle of life.
FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM CLIENT
My horse taught me that I have the power in my life.
FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM CLIENT
Today I learned that I just need to be genuine with where I’m at and how I’m feeling. Working with my teacher was very calming and allowed for me to just be and to feel connected. He would always put his head on my chest/stomach/arms and just made me feel loved. The connection that I felt today with him was one that made me feel connected and accepted and loved on. It made me feel like I belong; it was a very grounding experience.
FIRST RESPONDER PROGRAM CLIENT
To focus on the now instead of being-preoccupied with the future! Now is what matters the most and if we concentrate on the now - our goals will be easier to achieve. Thank you!
Once a person is taught the basics of working properly with a horse, he or she can become the leader the horse seeks. When the horse feels safe, cooperation is a hundredfold and the participant can easily get the horse to do what is asked of it. Bringing that piece back to their lives as everything is a parallel to how to work with people and themselves in their own lives.
The benefits of physical well-being are identified through:
(a) physical status - improved physical health (taking part in other physical activities because of Equine Assisted Learning participation, the participants feel better about themselves physically)
(b) the importance of physical touch with the horse - experiencing healthy or safe touch (while grooming, i.e., brushing their body, braiding the mane, petting the horse, hugging the horse, standing close allowing for body contact)
Mental wellbeing can include mood/feelings, cognition, perception, thoughts, self, intellect, emotion, judgement and identity through perceptions of self.
Social wellbeing focuses on the interpersonal relationships of the individual’s relationships or associations with friends, family, co-workers, community and the general public. All programs are focused on becoming a better communicator through the understanding of space, body language, and dialogue.
Positive change in behaviour (increased awareness of self, others and own learning) like a horse has boundaries and they are clear as to where they want a person to be. The distance and their reaction when you cross those boundaries, as that is what we look for in people too.
This gives the participants an experience to pull from when they are faced with choices and events in everyday life as they build strong solid skills working with their teacher. The PTSD reintegration programs range between 8-12 sessions allowing participants to gain the essential life skills necessary to get move them back into coping with the events, relationships and situations within their lives.
HORSES ARE IDEAL TEACHERS FOR LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT.
WHY DOES THIS WORK?
Participation, retention, fun and oh yea... a horse!
What can a 1200 pound teacher do for our participants?
The value of working with horses as a teaching tool to learn new skills have been proven time and time again. The use of an equine assisted learning program is a unique way to teach participants who are fortunate to participate in these skills development programs.
What if we could have a window into our own behaviours?
Horses understand how to differentiate between potentially threatening behaviour and calm and assertive nature. Participants have the chance to work through our skills development programs are able to learn how to modify their behaviour through sets of objectively-driven exercises that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. This type of teaching cannot be delivered through a book, or just talking alone. It is the experience of being in close contact with horses and truly seeing how a change in their attitude or leadership can change the outcome of any situation.
Get the skills necessary to ultimately better prepare participants to take on the challenges that life throws at them.
One of the many bonuses of working with horses vs other settings is the component of interactivity because we all learn differently, but we can all take away lessons that we learn through our experiences. Each of our exercises is custom designed to maximize learning potential and focus on developing individual skills as they work through each fun interactive group challenge.
Teams/individuals will;
•develop relationships
•have a barometer with them (the horse) to let them know if they are beginning to escalate
•accept responsibility and accountability
•overcome barriers to find change
•be encouraged to be creative and innovative
•find opportunity in working together
•realize the benefits associated with effective communication
•and recognize the value of mutual trust, respect, and personal integrity... All while having a blast!